Toss a coin to your witcher!

[Thomas Cardew]

O’ Valley of Plenty
O’ Valley of Plenty
O’

Toss a coin to your Witcher
And friend of humanity

Netflix's Witcher adaptation is out! While I'm definitely enjoying binging it while traveling for the holidays, I'll need to do a rewatch at some point. There's a few pacing issues, some of the scenes seem to drag or could use a few seconds tighter editing. The timeline is bit too subtle IMO. I've only played the Witcher 2 and 3 (couldn't get into 1 after playing 2 the graphics and fighting were too different), I haven't read any of the books, and while I could figure out the general order of events. I couldn't tell you timing between them. I can see how it would confuse some people with no exposure to the material at all. However, I'm completely sold on Caville as Geralt, 10/10 performance. Jaskier (Dandelion), Ynyvere, and Ciri were great as well. Triss and Foltest fell a little flat for me but I have only the games to compare it too.

I will say it made me want to reinstall Witcher 3 and finally play through the DLC I picked up on sale but never played.

What are other people's thoughts? Did the show fall short of your expectations or was your mind blown away? Is it a fitting introduction to the world or a confusing mess you wish you had never bothered with?

I've avoided major spoilers as best I can in the title post but reader beware further in!

[Saintheart]

I will say it made me want to reinstall Witcher 3 and finally play through the DLC I picked up on sale but never played.

Oh, please tell me it's Blood and Wine you picked up but never played. If so you are in for an absolutely gorgeous treat when you play it, you will not regret it. Can't wait for someone to make a Henry Cavill mod!

What are other people's thoughts? Did the show fall short of your expectations or was your mind blown away?

I'll admit that I've only seen the bits and pieces of fight scenes and one or two other parts that have made it onto Youtube, but I'm impressed by what I've seen. Cavill is clearly having an absolute blast playing Geralt, and that's a vote in favour all on its own. In terms of a Witcher 3-accurate Geralt, he comes damn close, he's worked pretty hard on replicating Doug Cockle's low growl.

Although they seem to be substituting Witcher 3 Geralt's "Fine" catchphrase for another four-letter word starting with 'F', at least on what I've seen.

[Thomas Cardew]

Oh, please tell me it's Blood and Wine you picked up but never played. If so you are in for an absolutely gorgeous treat when you play it, you will not regret it. Can't wait for someone to make a Henry Cavill mod!

It is indeed. I'm looking forward to it, I just hope I don't get too distracted by the base game. I don't have my old saves (new computer) and I expect I need to be fairly high level for it.

I'll admit that I've only seen the bits and pieces of fight scenes and one or two other parts that have made it onto Youtube, but I'm impressed by what I've seen. Cavill is clearly having an absolute blast playing Geralt, and that's a vote in favour all on its own. In terms of a Witcher 3-accurate Geralt, he comes damn close, he's worked pretty hard on replicating Doug Cockle's low growl.

Although they seem to be substituting Witcher 3 Geralt's "Fine" catchphrase for another four-letter word starting with 'F', at least on what I've seen.

Most of the fights are great! The first one gets is definitely getting lots of love online and feels perfectly reminiscent of carving through a bandit camp. Admittedly, it is very much a 'line up and charge him one at a time' fight at first but the ending duel with the leader is fantastic. Cavill absolutely has a blast and it shows! There is definitely a lot of language, although some of it is perfectly timed.

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For example, Geralt's response to off-offhandedly invoking the law of surprise and gaining Ciri is superb.

[Rodin]

I'll admit that I've only seen the bits and pieces of fight scenes and one or two other parts that have made it onto Youtube, but I'm impressed by what I've seen. Cavill is clearly having an absolute blast playing Geralt, and that's a vote in favour all on its own. In terms of a Witcher 3-accurate Geralt, he comes damn close, he's worked pretty hard on replicating Doug Cockle's low growl.

Although they seem to be substituting Witcher 3 Geralt's "Fine" catchphrase for another four-letter word starting with 'F', at least on what I've seen.

I've just binge-watched it, and Henry Cavill is Geralt. Whoever cast him as Superman was a moron, he pulls off the broody loner with aplomb. The substitution of the catchphrase works great as well, and they don't overuse it.

As to the timeline, once I caught on it was pretty easy to follow. Each viewpoint character's timeline is in chronological order, and once two viewpoint characters meet anything beyond that point is after their meeting.

I wonder if this counts as a video game adaptation? Sure, the original story is from a Polish book series, but the popularity outside Poland only took off after the video games were released and most people still only know it from the games. If we can count it, I'd say it's the best adaptation ever.

That said, I don't know how accurate it is in terms of lore. I've only played a bit of the games, so I don't know the overall plot. What they created stands on its own as a really great show.

[Yora]

It is very clearly adapting the story from the books. Only saw the trailer but you could very clearly see which scenes from the books they were showing.

[Eldan]

Yeah, they are adapting the first few short stories. They didn't even get to the actual books yet.

[Yora]

The second volume is already very much plot relevant, even with the different format. And I think A Question of Price and The Last Wish from the first volume are the ones set that the whole plot of the later books into motion. I would not regard them as separate from the rest of the series.

[GloatingSwine]

I wonder if this counts as a video game adaptation? Sure, the original story is from a Polish book series, but the popularity outside Poland only took off after the video games were released and most people still only know it from the games. If we can count it, I'd say it's the best adaptation ever.

That said, I don't know how accurate it is in terms of lore. I've only played a bit of the games, so I don't know the overall plot. What they created stands on its own as a really great show.

Something to consider is that the games really aren’t very faithful to the books. They didn’t even have Yennefer or Ciri in until the third one, and the Ciri is basically the co-protagonist of the novels. (She probably has more page count in books 2-4 than Geralt does).

I’ve only seen the first two episodes of the series yet, but it’s so far accurate to the backstory but it’s also super heavy on backstory that gets delivered as dreams and flashbacks in the books but is being done sort of chronologically in the series.

[PPA]

I've noticed that people who have played the games but haven't read the books have more complaints about the show, while people who never played the games but read the books are much more satisfied with what Netflix did.

I think it was pretty good. For the most part the production values are good and there's just some wonky CGI here and there, especially with the dragons, but otherwise I found the show to be solid. I'll definitely continue watching it.

Most of the cast did a solid job with their characters (Yennefer, Jaskier, Calanthe and Ciri were better than I expected), but Henry Cavill steals the show as Geralt. He not only looks the part, but manages to convincingly play the character both on his "Hmmm" and F-bomb monosyllabic brooding mode, and on the scenes where he's pushed to talk at more length and he's all sarcastic and cynical.

I read the novels many years ago before they even had an English translation and I remember liking them a lot, and there's a lot of scenes I recognized on the show, but even when things weren't as recognizable, the tone was still pretty consistent with the novels.

[Rodin]

I think it was pretty good. For the most part the production values are good and there's just some wonky CGI here and there, especially with the dragons, but otherwise I found the show to be solid. I'll definitely continue watching it.
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I actually thought the wonky CGI on the dragons worked for the show. It made them fit much better with the sort of misshapen fantasy creatures that populate the rest of the world. Game of Thrones dragons these are not.

Glad to know that the games differ enough from the books that I won't be spoiling myself too much if i take a crack at the third one. I got turned off by the crafting last time, but I'm much more interested in the world now after watching the show.

[Thomas Cardew]

I actually thought the wonky CGI on the dragons worked for the show. It made them fit much better with the sort of misshapen fantasy creatures that populate the rest of the world. Game of Thrones dragons these are not.

Glad to know that the games differ enough from the books that I won't be spoiling myself too much if i take a crack at the third one. I got turned off by the crafting last time, but I'm much more interested in the world now after watching the show.

I have... mixed... feelings about the dragons. I thought witcher 'proper' dragons as opposed to draconids are supposed to be more GOT like while the lesser (not actual) dragons look like what we got in the show. I also have a hard time seeing

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the small golden dragon we saw flying two full sized women to safety.

The third game actually is the closest to the books from my understanding. It involves Ciri and Yennefer significantly more; the third game essentially revolves around an adult Ciri. So there's going to be some pretty big spoilers about her, nothing that's damaged my enjoyment of the show. In fact I think it enhanced it, but your mileage may vary.

[Rynjin]

I've only seen the first two episodes, but it's great so far.

I'm loving Henry Cavill as Geralt; his love for the material really shows in his performance. He's not EXACTLY games Geralt, but he's close without feeling like he's trying too hard to give the exact same performance.

I'm one of the people that's played the games (though one of the apparently rare people that not only played but enjoyed the first game...) but not read the books, so it's interesting seeing the origin of characters I've only seen "fully formed" before. It's kind of like watching a well crafted prequel; knowing where things end up does not at all ruin the experience.

The second episode I found especially interesting, given the first was a bit uneventful (not boring, but almost skippable I think) save for the fight at the end which was a really nice translation of the first game's "Group Style" to the screen.

But I found the second episode fascinating in that it simultaneously made me sympathize with Yennefer...while still finding her to be an insufferable bitch (in a good way, mostly). At least now I can understand WHY she's that way.

I'm excited to hear in the OP that Triss apparently shows up. IMO she was a strong second best waifu (after Shani, of course) in the games. Will probably report more opinions as I watch more.

[Chen]

First episode was s pretty good re-telling of The Lesser Evil, though Geralt figuring out Renfri’s plan was a bit confusing if you knew how it happened in the book. Second episode was also pretty solid and Yennefer’s new backstory was reasonably done. Haven’t had the chance to watch more yet but so far very solid.

For those who played the games they are all set WAY after the events in the books (and this show) so there are plenty of spoilers unless they decide to change things. The one I noticed right away was knowing which sorceresses will survive until later just by recognizing the names.

[Rynjin]

First episode was s pretty good re-telling of The Lesser Evil, though Geralt figuring out Renfri’s plan was a bit confusing if you knew how it happened in the book. Second episode was also pretty solid and Yennefer’s new backstory was reasonably done. Haven’t had the chance to watch more yet but so far very solid.

For those who played the games they are all set WAY after the events in the books (and this show) so there are plenty of spoilers unless they decide to change things. The one I noticed right away was knowing which sorceresses will survive until later just by recognizing the names.

Well, the cool thing about that is that there's plenty of places they could have died in the intervening...what, 10, 15 years? There was a whole purge of the Circle as I recall.

So knowing they're not alive (or even just not prominent) in the future isn't a big spoiler.

[Chen]

Well, the cool thing about that is that there's plenty of places they could have died in the intervening...what, 10, 15 years? There was a whole purge of the Circle as I recall.

So knowing they're not alive (or even just not prominent) in the future isn't a big spoiler.

I meant more the opposite in that I recognized a few of the names who I know survive until later.

[random11]

As someone who is unfamiliar with both the books and the game plot (aside from some unavoidable memes), I can safely say that the intro to the world is good enough to understand even if you know nothing about it.

While I have nothing to compare it with as an adaptation, I like the acting, and I think the main characters acting fits the creation as it was done for the show.

One minor part that bothered me is the pacing, specifically between episode 5 and 6.
Geralt and Yennefer act as if they know each other for some time, while they just met for one time, for no more than a day.
Not sure, but it feels like these are two stories with a lot of stories in between that were removed due to lack of time.

Still, it's good.
Have two more episodes to watch, and I bet it will leave me wanting more.

[Lemmy]

It's OK.

Most of the casting works fine (Triss is the only one that really doesn't convince. It doesn't help that she's little more than an extra in this show). Cavill in particular does a great job as Geralt. The actress for Ciri is also really good, specially for someone so young.

Are we supposed to dislike Yeneffer? Cause she's really unlikable... I honestly don't get why every character seems to be so impressed by her. I hope the next season focus more on Geralt and Ciri than on Yeneffer... Or that at least they make her more likable, because at least IMO, she is by far the weakest aspect of the show.

The convoluted timeline mess was a bit confusing, but more importantly: pointless. It feels like a silly gimmick that didn't add anything to the show.

[Saintheart]

Are we supposed to dislike Yeneffer? Cause she's really unlikable... I honestly don't get why every character seems to be so impressed by her.

I found Yennefer gratingly unpleasant in both her game and novel incarnations. I'd sort of taken it that Geralt and Yen's relationship is borderline-dysfunctional, they're both very damaged people in their own way. But then I'm a sucker for redheads and therefore unashamedly Team Triss in all significant choices in Witcher 3, so I might be biased there :)

[Olinser]

Yes, Yennefer comes across as a HUGE entitled bitch, but she still has decent character development. What it felt like to me was that she's almost portrayed as an addict. She got a taste of power, then threw away basically everything in pursuit of more, and when she got it (she's beautiful, powerful, and in the court position she wanted), she found out it was just another fleeting high. So she starts pursuing her next high (having a child), without ever really considering if it was a good idea.

I also liked the out-of-order timeline. It wasn't like a Tarantino movie (which I thoroughly enjoy, btw), where you get scenes out of order but the overall period of the movie is very short.

In this case I felt that it did a great job of conveying just how OLD people like Geralt and the Sorceresses really are. You casually cut back and forth over literally decades of time, while the principal characters don't age a day.

[Rynjin]

I found Yennefer gratingly unpleasant in both her game and novel incarnations. I'd sort of taken it that Geralt and Yen's relationship is borderline-dysfunctional, they're both very damaged people in their own way. But then I'm a sucker for redheads and therefore unashamedly Team Triss in all significant choices in Witcher 3, so I might be biased there :)

Speaking of, why'd they nerf Triss? I think that was the only casting choice that wasn't bang on, and it was a HUGE departure.

[Dragonus45]

Just finished the witcher. I don't get the people giving it bad reviews.

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the thing with the staggered plotlines being a tiny bit unnecessary, more an issue to have unexplained and not stick some dates in there to make it clear to people not familiar with the series then anything else even if they blatentley set up the plotline stuff as early as the first episode. But I think it was needed for letting them get Ciri's plot going early enough to get an actress cast and introduced while also showing off the various short stories that took place before the main novels start up. It gives things better pacing for when it moves into being more about Ciri then anyone else and helps give the world grounding. Even if Evil Snow White was a bit rushed the rest have all been damn near perfect adaptations of the various stories. Geralt, Jaskier, and Yennefer are damn near picture perfect casting as well, Triss was a bit flat but she didn’t much screen time we well see I guess . I like how its largely episodic and not rushing itself into nothing but arc focused binge episodes. Also I'm downloading witcher 3 again

[Rynjin]

The series made me almost...ALMOST re-download The Witcher to play through the series from the start again, but man I thought the game was dated when I initially played it (in 2012 or so) and I don't even want to think about what it feels like now. I do feel like the "rhythm game" combat and three fighting styles could have carried over to future games though, rather than the basic and boring "heavy and light attacks with a dodge roll" system.

I'll settle for hoping they get enough seasons to tell the game stories as well.

[Rodin]

In this case I felt that it did a great job of conveying just how OLD people like Geralt and the Sorceresses really are. You casually cut back and forth over literally decades of time, while the principal characters don't age a day.

The one thing that felt a bit off is Jaskier. It felt like there was a fair bit of time passing between the stories, but Jaskier never ages. I assume that this is just a budget restriction or something, but it did make it difficult to tell exactly how much time passes. He clearly manages to become a good bard and improve Geralt's reputation over a period of some years, but since he looks the same as when we first saw him...

[Dragonus45]

The one thing that felt a bit off is Jaskier. It felt like there was a fair bit of time passing between the stories, but Jaskier never ages. I assume that this is just a budget restriction or something, but it did make it difficult to tell exactly how much time passes. He clearly manages to become a good bard and improve Geralt's reputation over a period of some years, but since he looks the same as when we first saw him...

So ever since the great Conjunction of the Spheres everyone lives longer and ages more slowly. This is just more pronounced in people who happen to be mutants or sources and the like.

[Rynjin]

The one thing that felt a bit off is Jaskier. It felt like there was a fair bit of time passing between the stories, but Jaskier never ages. I assume that this is just a budget restriction or something, but it did make it difficult to tell exactly how much time passes. He clearly manages to become a good bard and improve Geralt's reputation over a period of some years, but since he looks the same as when we first saw him...

I definitely wouldn't have known it was ~12 years between the last episode and the current one at the time just from looking at Dandelion.

[Yora]

To be fair, Dandelion always seems strangely youthful.

"Dandelion, you are almost 40, still look like you're just 30, think you're still 20, and act like you're barely 10."

[Chen]

Speaking of, why'd they nerf Triss? I think that was the only casting choice that wasn't bang on, and it was a HUGE departure.

Only saw the first episode with her but she didnt seem too far off. What was it that was so different? Or is it in later episodes?

[Thomas Cardew]

It's OK.

Most of the casting works fine (Triss is the only one that really doesn't convince. It doesn't help that she's little more than an extra in this show). Cavill in particular does a great job as Geralt. The actress for Ciri is also really good, specially for someone so young.

Are we supposed to dislike Yeneffer? Cause she's really unlikable... I honestly don't get why every character seems to be so impressed by her. I hope the next season focus more on Geralt and Ciri than on Yeneffer... Or that at least they make her more likable, because at least IMO, she is by far the weakest aspect of the show.

The convoluted timeline mess was a bit confusing, but more importantly: pointless. It feels like a silly gimmick that didn't add anything to the show.

Ciri's actress is 18, I don't quite think that counts as super young. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8463347/

I know people hate fantasy dates and title cards, but I really think just flashing a location and date at the beginning of each episode would have helped so much with the timeline thing.

Only saw the first episode with her but she didnt seem too far off. What was it that was so different? Or is it in later episodes?

Not sure what the other poster meant, the main criticisms I've seen of her seem to be around her hair color or her behavior in the battle in the later episodes. Tons of digital ink have been spilled over the appropriate color for Triss' hair, it's not really worth arguing over IMO. That said I'm on team redhead. As for power level,

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In the last battle for the show, Triss basically makes mushrooms release spores and summons a gate made of vines that doesn't even fill the doorway and lets soldiers burn her with a torch through it. Compare that to Triss in Witcher 3 at the battle of Kaer Mohen when she's functioning as artillery dropping massive fireballs at range. With a straight up meteor swarm following at at about 15:30 in that video.

[Rynjin]

Only saw the first episode with her but she didnt seem too far off. What was it that was so different? Or is it in later episodes?

Well for one she looks different:

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IMG]https://i.redd.it/33b7xa89q2u11.jpg[/IMG]

There's a half-joking theory making the rounds that Hollywood is trying to erase redheads from existence which gets less and less crazy by the day...

But for another she seems both less capable and has less of an edge to her. Mind you that might be something she'll get character development for, but she was weirdly too nice (not that Triss was an ******* or anything in the games, but she wasn't a font of irrepressible pure pureness either) and as mentioned doesn't seem to have the same magical oomph as I'd expect from her.

Normally I'd chalk it up to early installment weirdness, since I haven't read the books, but every other character was recognizable. Dandelion was Dandelion (well, he was Jaskier, but same diff), Geralt was Geralt, Yennefer was Yennefer, and Ciri was a kid so her personality being a bit different is understandable.

A lot of the other sorceresses had really good showings in the battle; particularly Yennefer and Sabrina Glevessig, but Triss was off from what I recognize her as being able to do from the games.

Again, like I said, could be early installment weirdness and this is some kind of turning point for her as a character, but it would also be kind of weird if Triss is the only character that gets a significant character arc in the books, though I guess that's possible.

[Lemmy]

Ciri's actress is 18, I don't quite think that counts as super young. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8463347/

That would make her even more convincing than I thought, then, wouldn't it?

Seriously, though... I said "so young" not "super young". I knew she was older than her character, but didn't think she was 18.